It's that time of year. College students are packing their belongings and heading back to school. Will your college student have enough insurance coverage at school? Has anything changed since last year that may affect personal property or auto coverage? Take some time to discuss this with your insurance agent to determine if your son or daughter has adequate coverage.
Here are important areas to cover...
Property Coverage
- Many companies have now adopted the HO 2000 program that has some age limitations for students. Specifically, the ISO form states that for a student to qualify as an insured, he/she must be under the age of 24 and a full-time student. Many insurance companies may use this version of the form. West Bend, however, has revised it to state that full-time students under the age of 29 are still considered members of the household, and therefore, eligible for coverage.
- It's a good idea to inventory what your student will take to college. If there's an insurance claim, the burden of proof lies with the insured so a list of items would be helpful.
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- Will your student take a computer to school? If so, talk to your agent about obtaining coverage for it.
- Students in dorms are covered for liability and personal property coverages under the Home and Highway policy. If your student lives off campus, however, there may not be coverage under your policy. Your insurance agent will help determine what coverage you'll need.
- When your students graduate or leave school, and declare their independence by moving into their own apartments, they should purchase their own policies covering their personal property. At this point, they are no longer members of your household, and therefore, they no longer qualify for coverage. More...
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